Kacem Wapalek

Kacem Wapalek is a French rapper, slam poet, producer and beatmaker from Lyon, known for a distinctive, wordplay-driven style that blends humor, social observation and poetic craft. Rather than fitting neatly into mainstream French rap, he has carved out a niche as a versatile, independent-minded artist who moves fluidly between solo work, group projects, freestyles and writing workshops.

He co-founded the label La Canopée with beatmaker Oster Lapwass, a collective bringing together artists from around the world under a shared musical vision, and he is also a member of the acoustic jazz-fusion ensemble Kacem Expérience, which infuses Hip Hop sensibilities with live instrumentation. His songs, including pieces like «Marie-Jeanne» and «Comme d'hab», showcase his knack for storytelling and intricate rhyme schemes delivered with a conversational, often humorous flow.

Wapalek has built much of his following through freestyles, radio appearances, mixtapes and video projects that have found a wide audience online, alongside frequent live performances and festival appearances. His work as a writing-workshop facilitator further reflects his commitment to rap as a literary and pedagogical craft, not just a performance art, positioning him as a distinctive voice within the French independent rap and slam scenes.